Tapered grip for motorcycle handlebar

ABSTRACT

A motorcycle handlebar hand grip comprises a hollow cylindrical body having a first, open end and an opposing, second end, which may be open or closed, and an annular flange projecting radially outwards at the first, open end. In order to prolong its useful life as regards wear by a rider&#39;s hand, and also improve comfort and vibration damping, the body has an external surface which is formed with projections and which tapers from adjacent the flange to adjacent the second end. The taper is achieved by the projections progressively decreasing in height from adjacent the flange to adjacent the second end. The base area of the respective projections may also progressively decrease in size from adjacent the flange to adjacent the second end.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention concerns a hand grip adapted for fitting onto amotorcycle handlebar end section.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Such a grip conventionally comprises a hollow cylindrical body offlexible resilient material, such as rubber (natural or synthetic),having a first, open end, an opposing second end, which may be open orclosed by an end wall, and an annular flange projecting radiallyoutwards at the first open end. Respective grips are fitted snugly andnon-rotatably onto each end of a handlebar. When the second end isclosed, the end wall abuts the end of the bar. The flange provides aninner limit for a rider's hand where his/her forefinger and thumbencircle the grip in use.

[0003] In order to provide greater comfort to the rider and enhancedvibration damping it is known to form such grips from two compounds,i.e. two differing formulations of rubber, so that the flange, an innerlayer of the cylindrical body, and the end wall when present, are formedfrom a firmer, less flexible compound, while an outer layer of thecylindrical body is formed from a softer, more flexible compound.

[0004] It is also known to provide the outer layer of such a grip withprojections distributed in a pattern over its external surface. Indeed,provision of such a pattern of projections, which only project from thesurface by something less than 1 mm in most cases, is well knowngenerally for all types of handlebar grips to reduce potential forslippage by the rider's hands.

[0005] It has been observed that motorcycle hand grips tend to wear morequickly in the region below the arch of the thumb and forefinger of therider.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION

[0006] An object of the invention is to provide for excess wear in thisregion so that the hand grip, as a whole, might last longer beforesplitting or needing replacement.

[0007] A further object is to provide enhanced comfort and vibrationdamping to the hands of the rider.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0008] This object is achieved in a hand grip having the featuresspecified above in that the projections formed on the cylindrical bodyprogressively decrease in height from adjacent the flange to adjacentthe opposing, second end (closed or open), so as to provide an externaltaper to the body.

[0009] The external diameter of a hand grip in accordance with theinvention may reduce by less than 5 mm from adjacent the flange toadjacent the second end. Nevertheless, the effect in terms of prolongedlife of the grip and comfort to the rider is significant.

[0010] The overall size of such projections, particularly their baseareas, may conveniently decrease from adjacent the flange to adjacentthe second end.

[0011] In embodiments where the cylindrical body is formed from an innerlayer and an outer layer of different formulations of flexible,resilient material, in which respect the outer layer is of greaterflexibility than the inner layer, the inner layer is preferably ofsubstantially constant external diameter, while the outer layer tapersin its external diameter. The outer layer taper is then provided byprojections of decreasing height or overall size, as aforesaid, on itsexternal surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention will be described further, by way of example, withreference to the drawings, in which:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred practical embodiment ofthe hand grip of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same hand grip;

[0015]FIG. 3 is also a perspective view, but with the hand grip rotatedcompared to FIG. 2 so as to show the other side; and

[0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view, corresponding to FIG. 3, of a secondpractical embodiment of the hand grip of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The hand grip illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 has a hollowcylindrical body 10, an open end from which an annular flange 14projects radially outwards, and an opposing end closed by an end wall12.

[0018] The hand grip is formed from two different grades of rubber. Afirmer less flexible grade is used to form a base or inner layer of thebody 10, as well as the end wall 12 and the flange 14. A softer, moreflexible grade is used to form an outer layer to the body 10, includinga raised pattern of adjoining rectangles 16 on one side of the body 10and a pattern of surface projections 18 which are also present insidethe boundary of the aforesaid rectangular pattern 16.

[0019] The projections 18 in this embodiment are generally in the formof a plurality of adjacent square pyramids, each having a diamond shapedbase, i.e. its diagonal being axial relative to the cylindrical body 10of the grip. The overall size of the respective pyramidal projections 18decreases gradually from adjacent the flange 14 to adjacent the closedend. Thus the diamond shaped bases decrease in area and the height ofthe projections also decreases. This provides an overall taper to theexternal diameter of the body 10.

[0020] Such taper need not be great to serve its purpose. It may be anoverall reduction in external diameter of only 2 mm from adjacent theflange 14 to adjacent the closed end. It is unlikely to be more than a 5mm reduction in external diameter.

[0021] By making the region adjacent the flange 14 somewhat thicker,particularly making this extra thickness from the softer rubbercompound, extra cushioning of the rider's hand is provided in exactlythe region of greatest pressure and greatest wear, i.e. below the archformed by thumb and forefinger. Also, because there is more material,this region does not wear down, split and fail as quickly as hitherto inthe case of substantially constant external diameter grips.

[0022] The use of a gradual taper achieves these advantages withoutmaking the handgrip overall too thick for effective gripping/encirclingby the rider's hand, as the region towards the closed end 12 is still ofvirtually the same external diameter as on conventional grips.

[0023] The hand grip illustrated in FIG. 4 differs from that in FIGS. 1to 3 only in that its second end, opposing the open end where the flange14 ₁ projects, is also open. In all other respects relating to theinventive feature of the tapered body it is the same and identicalreference numerals with the addition of ₁ are used to designate theparts exactly corresponding to those in the above described embodiment.Such an open-ended hand grip is often used for motorcycles designed formotocross, whereas a closed end grip is used for trials bikes.

[0024] In other embodiments of the invention, which are not illustrated,the taper can be achieved without use of two compounds. Also, theexternal projections may be of a different shape and size to theillustrated embodiment.

1. A hand grip adapted for fitting onto a motorcycle handlebar endsection and comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a first, openend, an opposing, second end and an annular flange projecting radiallyoutwards at the first, open end, the cylindrical body also having anexternal surface formed with a plurality of projections distributedthereover, said projections progressively decreasing in height fromadjacent the flange to adjacent the second end so as to provide anexternal taper to the body.
 2. A hand grip as set forth in claim 1wherein the external diameter of the cylindrical body reduces by lessthan 5 mm from adjacent the flange to adjacent the second end.
 3. A handgrip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second end is closed by an endwall.
 4. A hand grip as set forth in claim 3 wherein the cylindricalbody is formed from an inner layer and an outer layer of differentformulations of flexible, resilient material, in which respect the outerlayer is of greater flexibility than the inner layer.
 5. A hand grip asset forth in claim 4 wherein the annular flange and the closed end wallare formed of the same formulation of material as the inner layer of thecylindrical body.
 6. A hand grip as set forth in claim 4 wherein theinner layer is of substantially constant external diameter, while theouter layer tapers in its external diameter.
 7. A hand grip as set forthin claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body is formed from an inner layerand an outer layer of different formulations of flexible, resilientmaterial, in which respect the outer layer is of greater flexibilitythan the inner layer.
 8. A hand grip as set forth in claim 7 wherein theannular flange and is formed of the same formulation of material as theinner layer of the cylindrical body.
 9. A hand grip as set forth inclaim 7 wherein the inner layer is of substantially constant externaldiameter, while the outer layer tapers in its external diameter.
 10. Ahand grip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the projections have a basearea which decreases in size from adjacent the flange to adjacent thesecond end.